Pride comes before the fall
by Jannet Doe
Summary: One Shot. Darcy and Bingley never went back to Netherfield after the ball. Darcy encounters Elizabeth four years after that, in a theater in London.


**Just a little fun here. While reading a fanfic, with a really arrogant Darcy, I felt the need to tell him, what could happen if he didn't change his ways. **

**Darcy and Bingley never went back to Netherfield after the ball, four years later Darcy encounters Elizabeth in a theatre in London. There is no HEA in this one shot. Sorry.**

**Thanks for all the help from Patricia and a great person who wants to remain anonymous, all errors are mine, hope you read and enjoy this little tale. **

"Mr. Darcy!" she said, looking up at me. Surprise was written on her beautiful countenance.

She had been standing alone, looking lovely and beautifully attired, in the lobby of the Royal Theatre in London. It was four years now, since I had last seen her. I was severely shocked to see her here, and to feel the effect she still had on me. My equilibrium was gone in seconds. I was transported back to the Netherfield ball in Hertfordshire and the long months afterwards, yearning for her. But I had conquered that. Or so I thought, I realized now.

I had married not long after that ball. Olivia Cunningham, the daughter of a gentleman, with wealth equal to my own, was now my wife. She was all I could have desired in a wife, beautiful, accomplished and stylish. That we never saw eye to eye from the first day of our marriage was pitiable and that there were no children was a disappointment. The fact that she lived most of the time in London, and I at Pemberley, was not how I had envisioned my marriage; but at least, she was a woman of my circle.

"Miss Bennet. What a...pleasant surprise seeing you here. Are you well? And your family, are they in good health?" I was mortified to realise I was rambling on, but could not stop.

She laughed at me good-humouredly, then, proceeded to break my heart into a thousand pieces with her answer. "My family is well, sir, but I am not Miss Bennet anymore. I married the Earl of Hampshire, three years ago. We do not socialize much, since my husband's father was taken ill soon after our marriage; therefore we have stayed in Hampshire most of the time. First, for the mourning period when he passed away and after that for the birth of our son. This is the first time we have been in London for the season," She said, smiling pleasantly.

If it had been possible, I would have walked away and howled desperately to the heavens but that was out of the question. Appearance must be kept up, no matter the pain. Stupid, stupid man that I am! Seeing her now I knew she held my heart and she alone. Gathering all my strength, I declared, "Congratulations on your marriage and on the birth of your son. We lost touch after Bingley left Netherfield, so I did not know you had married. How is your eldest sister, is she well?" I uttered anxiously.

"You can see for yourself." She gestured to my left. "There she is with her husband and mine." She smiled, a loving smile, in her husband's direction as he, approached us, along with Jane and her spouse. "Let me introduce them to you, Mr. Darcy."

I knew the Earl of Hampshire as a kind-hearted man, who society had said broke many hearts when he married a country girl. I just did not know which country girl he had married. And now, this same country girl just broke my own. How true the saying— _ignorance is bliss_.

"Michal, my love. I want to introduce you to Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy visited Hertfordshire a few years ago and we met there. Mr. Darcy, my husband Michal Ashbury, the Earl of Hampshire."

We bowed to each other. "Lord Hampshire, it is an honour to meet you." I said, all the while staring at Elizabeth. The Earl looked at me suspiciously, noting that I coveted his wife. Well, he is right. I desire his wife, with all my heart. I would trade his for mine in a heartbeat.

"Mr. Darcy." Lord Hampshire replied, giving me a curt nod.

"You remember Jane, my sister," Elizabeth continued.

I smiled at Jane and made a deep bow. "This is her husband Mr. Joshua Goldwell, from Devonshire." She finished with a kindly smile to her brother. I bowed again, realizing at that instant that Mr. Goldwell possessed at least as much wealth as I, if not more.

The Goldwells were known throughout the kingdom for their riches and their kindness to their fellowmen, like the Darcy's, well, the wealth part, that is.

"It is a pleasure to see you in good health, Mrs. Goldwell. Mr. Goldwell, it is a pleasure to meet you." I barely managed to choke out. _Dear Lord, I feel sick._

Mrs. Goldwell directed one of her serene smiles at me and replied softly. "Mr. Darcy, how nice to see you after so long. How are you and Miss Darcy? Is all your family in good health?"

A genuine smile crossed my face at the mention of Georgiana. "Yes, although my sister isn't a Darcy anymore after last month. She married our cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam and lives in London now. They are very happy together. My wife is somewhere around here, talking to her friends. And as the performance is to start any minute now, I think I will join them."

But before I could remove myself from this nightmare, I saw Olivia and her entourage approaching.

My wife was followed by Bingley and the shrew he married, the one with connections and a great dowry. I could not help but think that the poor guy was here with both his wife and his sister, the loathsome Miss Bingley, who was still unattached as no man would have her, even with her twenty thousand pound dowry. Here they came, simpering already over the Earl and Goldwell, as though they know who they are, considering their eager expressions. Thank goodness, they had no way of knowing the significance of the Bennet sisters. As for my wife, she looked bored as hell, as always.

Bingley, smiled his broad smile when he approached, eager to get to know new people. That is until, he saw the former Jane Bennet. His smile disappeared and he looked as wretched as I felt, or maybe we both looked wretched. _I don't know. I had now gone into survival mode_.

Luckily Olivia is as totally ignorant of our acquaintance as Mrs. Bingley.

"Look here, Charles. Do you remember the Misses Bennet? Which they are no more, Misses. I mean...may I introduce you to their husbands."

I tried to speak cheerfully, but fail miserably. I noticed Olivia observing me strangely. She doesn't see me bewildered too often. To tell the truth, she doesn't see me much at all. When she is in my company, I am cold and aloof. I just can't help it. The interaction of the Earl and Elizabeth is different altogether. They touch each other and smile at one another lovingly. A lot, I notice. There seems to be a sort of unspoken communication between them, of which I am envious. _Hell, I am envious, period_.

I feel the glare of the Earl the whole time. I understand that perfectly. He must know what happened with Bingley and Jane Bennet. He must sense my attraction to his wife, and doesn't like that one bit. I know, were the situation reversed, I would not. I see Elizabeth frown at Bingley and his sister, displeasure clearly written in her eyes. She looked then to her sister, who shrugged her shoulders slightly, giving Elizabeth to understand that she does not care. _How I wish, I felt that way now._

Before I could introduce them, Miss Bingley, opened her mouth to speak hypocritically. "Dear Jane, Eliza. What a pleasure to see you again!"

I observe Elizabeth roll her eyes at this display of insincerity and glance at her husband with a look that said; get me out of here now!

I guess we were all relieved when the bell rang for the performance to begin, with the exception of Olivia and the Bingley women. We said our goodbyes. Afterward, I never went to a performance again, let alone to London for any pleasure. They say pride comes before the fall and Lord, are they right.


End file.
